Save the date – Sept 16, 2016 – #ProtectJournalists event ahead of UNGA
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) invite you to a panel discussion to raise awareness on the killings of journalists and the #ProtectJournalists campaign to appoint a Special Representative to the UNSG for the Safety of Journalists, endorsed by a large coalition of supporters.
CPJ Newsletter: We fight back against defamation, highlight impunity in India, and host an exhibit on Shawkan’s works
September edition IOC creates mechanism for journalist complaints after CPJ consultation In early August, we welcomed the creation of a press freedom complaints mechanism by the International Olympic Committee. The move followed years of advocacy with the IOC by CPJ and other rights groups to do more to hold governments that host the Olympic Games…
Apple vulnerability is surprising, but journalists should stick with iPhones
A rare and serious vulnerability in Apple’s iOS operating system has been discovered by researchers at the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab, which today published a report detailing its findings. It is the first known remote iOS vulnerability of its kind. Disturbingly, the company behind malware designed to exploit the security flaw may have also…
Veracruz journalist under police protection shot dead
Mexico City, July 22, 2016–Mexican federal authorities must conduct a credible and thorough investigation into the July 20 killing of Pedro Tamayo Rosas, a Veracruz journalist who was shot while under the protection of state authorities, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
In Oaxaca, reporters covering teachers’ union protests face violence, threats
The atmosphere in Nochixtlán, a small, rural community in Mexico’s southern state of Oaxaca, was tense on June 20. The day before, members of a dissident teachers’ union had clashed with federal and state police while protesting education reform. Shots were fired and, by the end of the day, nine people had died and dozens…
Journalist Jay Torres murdered in Garland, Texas
New York, June 16, 2016–The Committee to Protect journalists is alarmed by the killing of Texas journalist Jacinto Hernández Torres, whose body was found on Monday night in Garland, a northeast suburb in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. The journalist, who went by the name Jay Torres, was a freelance contributor for nearly 20 years…
In Mexico, covering state elections brings risk of threats and violence
As the June 5 elections approached, the anonymous phone calls to Mexican journalist Pedro Canché became more frequent and more ominous. “The Caribbean is a big sea, you’ll never be found,” one said. “I hope you’ve written a will,” said another. A third caller told Canché, “Remember what happened to Rubén Espinosa,” referring to the…
Advisory Groups
CPJ has established advisory groups for its programs. The groups, which are made up of leading journalists, experts, and press freedom advocates, provide feedback on CPJ programs’ key advocacy proposals and strategies. The groups’ members also advise CPJ staff on how to achieve greater impact and help CPJ gain access and increase outreach in countries…
Criminal Defamation Laws in North America
Contents Critics Are Not Criminals: Comparative Study of Criminal Defamation Laws in the Americas I. Canada A. Criminal Laws Restricting Freedom of Expression Despite frequent criticism and infrequent application, Canada’s Criminal Code continues to contain provisions criminalizing both blasphemous libel15 and defamatory libel.16 Section 298(1) of the Code describes “defamatory libel” as a “matter published,…
Computer security is necessary for journalist safety
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was originally published, in Spanish, in El País. This week, journalists, technologists, and other human rights advocates will gather in Valencia, Spain for the Internet Freedom Festival, a multidisciplinary “un-conference” dedicated to fighting surveillance and censorship online. More than 600 people from 43 countries have registered for the festival, which is…